THE BEST RATE IS THROUGH US, BY PHONE OR ON OUR BOOKING BUTTON - YOU WILL NEVER GET A BETTER RATE ELSEWHERE!

1-night stay March rates (per couple per room) start at £115 bed and breakfast in a Good House double (£185 for DB&B*)and rise through £150/220* for a Better House room to £155/225* for a Best Garden or Best Courtyard room and £190/260* for a Best House or Best Terrace room. The suite is £240/310*.*dinner is a free choice of three courses from our full a la carte and breakfast is the full Monty, cooked to order.

We are neither a country house hotel in the ruched-curtain, prohibitively expensive sense, nor a boutique hotel where cutting-edge design precludes hospitality – or functionality. Our aim is to offer a relaxing atmosphere with thoughtful, smiling service; interesting food with a British and authentic Italian bias; and simple but comfortable bedrooms with good beds. Orford itself does the rest.

Ruth and David Watson, along with partner, Tim Sunderland, own and manage the Crown and Castle. The Watsons are well known restaurateurs and hoteliers in Suffolk, having previously owned Hintlesham Hall and the famous Fox and Goose Inn at Fressingfield. Tim Sunderland remained General Manager after the Watsons sold the Hall but rejoined them at the C&C some years ago.

A Best Terrace double, room 31

A Good House double, room 6

A Best House double, room 9

A Best House double bathroom, room 1

A Best House double bathroom, room 3

A typical Best Garden double

Detail of a Best Garden double

All Best Garden bathrooms look like this

A Good House double, room 5

Good House double bathrooms

The Suite's bedroom

The Suite's sitting room

A detail of the Suite's bedroom

The Suite's bathroom

A Best Terrace bathroom (31)

A synopsis of our room categories, from entry level upwards:

Good House double (2): entry level smaller rooms in the main house with 5-foot beds and walk-in showersBetter House doubles (2): medium and large rooms with 6-foot beds and bathrooms with shower overhead, two in main house, one in courtyard on ground floorBest Garden & Courtyard doubles and twins (9 + 2): large ground-floor rooms with easy access, 6-foot beds or twins, bathrooms with shower overhead, semi-private terraces for sitting outsideBest House & Terrace doubles (3 + 2): large rooms, either with views or ground floor with sitting out areas, 6-foot beds, some bathrooms with walk-in showers and bath, but please check full description belowSuite (1): large bedroom, separate sitting room, large bathroom with bath and walk-in shower, first floor above reception, good sitting-out balcony

Divided between the garden, terrace and main house, all the bedrooms have been completely refurbished over the last few years and are airy and bright. We have nearly finished our programme of updating the bathrooms, the last two being scheduled for early summer.

Useful Information

WIFI: we offer free wifi, via satellite, as our local broad band is still deeply inadequate. We ask guests not to stream or download large files, though, as the capacity is still not that marvellous and these actions affect other guests’ ability to use wifi ‘normally’. Please be aware that the use of tablets and mobile phones is actively discouraged during lunch and dinner. (Talk to each other, for ***’s sake!)

DOGS: Good Hotel Guide 2015 Editor’s Choice Award
Dog-friendly Hotel
We welcome a limited number of well-behaved dogs in five designated Best Garden rooms, a few dogs in the bar, and we have one (bookable) doggie table in the restaurant area. If you don’t like dogs, you will not like this. Please see Booking Information for full details.

CHILDREN: we welcome children of any age in the restaurant at lunchtime and those over 8 years old in the hotel and at dinner time, so please be aware of this should you not like them. Please see Booking Information for full details.

CAR PARKING: we are 3 spaces short when we are full so guests may occasionally have to park in the village square or by the castle – please drop off luggage at reception first. Traffic wardens are only in operation once a month or so.